Innovation remains front and centre at Finnebrogue.
As one of the UK’s leading food producers, still based in its native Downpatrick, it’s expanded into a company employing more than 1,300 people, working across a wide range of both meat and meat alternative products – supplying some of our largest supermarkets.
It’s a food production business which not only has expanded and branched out into the burgeoning world of plant-based food, but continues to utilise technology, advanced processes and crucial R&D to make more traditional meat-based ranges tastier and healthier – modernising technologies of old and bringing a scientific touch to development.
Declan Ferguson is research and development, sustainability and technical director with the firm, and boasts a lengthy career working across food technology. A graduate of Queen’s University Belfast he’s counted Tesco and Marks & Spencer among his previous employers – both have been major customers of Finnebrogue for many years.
Finnebrogue is the brainchild of the late Denis Lynn – an entrepreneur who grew a small business in venison into the food giant that the Downpatrick business has blossomed into today.
“I first worked with Denis back in the early days of the venison factory when I was a food technologist for Marks & Spencer,” Declan says. “Since then, I watched the business grow and I’m now marking 10 years with the company.”
What started out as a small company, focused primarily on venison, has grown into a Top 100 company making a wide range of meat and non-meat products – including branded ranges, such as Naked Bacon, which is free of nitrites, and a raft of private label products for our biggest supermarkets.
“For us, it’s about making food the best it can be without doing it the way it’s always been done before,” Declan says.
“It’s about how we make products better than before. From the taste perspective, to the ingredients and the visual appearance.
“For example, when we’re making sausages or burgers, we talk about getting that meaty-type structure, and that’s something we want to get across. It’s also about how it looks on the shelf and how it looks and tastes for the customer.”
Finnebrogue’s own multi-million pound production facilities in its native Downpatrick are testament to the firm’s significant growth in the last few years. Downstairs in the main reception is a prominent portrait of founder Denis Lynn – the man who built the business – painted by world-renowned artist Colin Davidson, who has also painted the late Queen Elizabeth II, Ed Sheeran and Angela Merkel, among others.
Finnebrogue boasts a workforce of around 1,300 staff across its four factories – all of which are located in Downpatrick. That includes a site producing high-volume items such as sausages and burgers, an added-value site, which produces Christmas products, such as pigs in blankets, a facility dedicated to its pioneering nitrite-free bacon, and its plant-based factory.
Declan says while there are the ‘four Ps’ in marketing, Finnebrogue operates its own ‘four P’ ethos and business outlook. “We always focus on four areas – product, planet, people, and process,” Declan says.
In terms of that innovation, Finnebrogue has, and continues to think outside the box.
One such area was the development of its Naked Bacon, which doesn’t contain the traditional nitrites, used to preserve and cure the meat.
“Since then, we have expanded that line and developed a dry cure bacon without nitrites,” he says.
“We’ve developed some flavoured options, so things like a treacle bacon or a hot honey – these are some of the new products we are going to be bringing to the market soon.”
Finnebrogue is utilising and embracing new technologies in a bid to achieve better results, and better products.
From a process perspective, Declan says the firm continues to be focused around sustainability.
“That began with developing solar panels on our buildings,” he says. “We have also focused on green energy, and buying renewable energy off the grid.
“But then that’s led us to think about, well, how are we really going to make an impact on the environment from a food perspective, to drive change?
“It’s then focusing on ‘how do we make these products more sustainable?’.”
That includes linking up with Northern Irish pork farmers here and eyeing carbon neutrality. And as part of that sustainability journey, Declan says Finnebrogue is using software and technology to create products with less of an environmental impact.
“It’s looking at the software we use to try to make those products better in the future. For example, we can see where products, like herbs or spices, are being sourced and assessing what option will be more sustainable.”
Finnebrogue is also looking at how it can make its products healthier, while retaining the same texture and mouthfeel as more traditionally made ranges.
“People are the focus of what we do,” Declan says. “We know that the health of our customers is paramount. So, we look at how we can make our products better.”
That includes reducing the fat content of sausages, for example, and introducing ingredients which can both help retain that mouthfeel while also being high in fibre.
“They are high in protein, and in fibre. But because of the ingredients we are using, they are also succulent.”
And it’s the process and the attention to R&D that sees Finnebrogue continuing to focus on making its products better, and healthier. That includes ranges focused on helping gut health, as well as removing artificial ingredients such as phosphates or sulphites.
“We focus on how we can do things better,” Declan says. “It’s about getting natural alternatives while ensuring the products remain delicious for our customers.
“It’s also thinking about what comes next, and in what way can our products help – areas such as brain, cognitive, or heart health.
“We are very much focused on that – helping people on a food journey and helping them achieve a long and healthy life.”
Finnebrogue was also at the fore with developing plant-based products. That includes meat-like ranges, including sausages and burgers, through to vegetable-focused items.
“Some people want those product swaps – a burger, for example. “There are others who want to reduce their meat intake and just want great tasting products.”
Turning to its people – from the customers to its huge workforce – Declan says they remain at the fore of the business’s thinking.
“We’re focused on expanding and growing here in Downpatrick,” Declan says. “With our staff, learning and development is key.”
That means welcoming workers who may have just left school, but offering them a career path throughout the business, and into more senior roles.
“We also focus on developing managers and ‘heads of’ teams in upskilling – the continued learning and development journey, giving them the skills to grow.
“We are offering careers, because we want those people to stay here for as long as we can.”
Finnebrogue’s focus on process remains a key strand in its journey – bringing in new techniques and automation to improve production.
“But we also need people – they add value to our business. It’s automating some of the more mundane and repetitive tasks.”
Finnebrogue now has four automatic packing lines, which improve efficiency for its larger volume products.
“It’s about embracing technology,” Declan says. “For example, finishing the packaging without people handling the products.”
Looking ahead to the near future, Declan says further product development, R&D and a focus on sustainability remain at the fore.
“We have a team of around 30 product developers – it’s about creating more sustainable products from day one.
“We are a producer and supplier of processed meats, but we don’t want that to be a dirty word. We want it to be something that we are proud of.
“We know we can create really great tasting products, which are succulent, and that people want to buy.”